World RX – Loeb returns, Kevin Hansen launches

The team Peugeot -Hansen will race with three 208 WRXs in 2017. The Franco-Swedish structure has confirmed the presence of Kevin Hansen full-time alongside his brother Timmy and Sébastien Loeb. The reigning Euro RX champion will replace Davy Jeanney by racing in a Sochaux car from the 2016 season, while his two teammates registered to score points in the Teams Championship will be behind the wheel of the latest models designed by the Lion.

“I'm really happy to finally be a full-time World Championship driver!, confessed Kevin Hansen. After my European Champion title, it was a long winter before achieving this result: signing with Team Peugeot Hansen for a World RX campaign is a fantastic opportunity for me. Personally, I would like to rediscover in 2017 the feeling that I had during the last season at the wheel of the Peugeot 208 WRX and build my season based on this feeling. I will give the best of myself to find a place in the elite of Rallycross. I am very excited and eager to start in Barcelona! »

Sébastien Loeb will compete in a second full season in the world discipline, continuing to defend the interests of the French manufacturer.

“I feel like I learned a lot about driving in 2016, throughout my first full season in Rallycross, assured the Alsatian. So I'm necessarily approaching the new one with a little more ambition than the previous one. I hope that the 2017 version of the Peugeot 208 WRX will allow us to fight for victory. It won't be easy because the competition will be even tougher this year but I am fully determined to enrich my record in this discipline. »

Kenneth Hansen, the Team Principal of the team in his name, can be proud of the crew lined up since his two sons will defend the interests of Peugeot alongside the nine-time champion of the WRC.

“This 2017 World Rallycross Championship promises to be very competitive with four manufacturers entered, recalled the multiple Rallycross champion. It's certain: the level will be higher than ever and fighting for victory will be a constant challenge. Team Peugeot Hansen's approach has always been to give the best, race after race, in order to finish on the top of the podium. We have all the elements in hand and if the work we have done since last year pays off, we are convinced that we will be able to achieve our objectives. The main goal is to provide our drivers with the Peugeot 208 WRX which will allow them to be 100% confident and exploit their magical driving talent. If so, I believe we will be in a position to challenge for both titles. »

The management of Peugeot Sport dreams of regaining the Teams title and remains hopeful of being in the fight for the Drivers' title.

“We were champions in 2015 and vice-champions in 2016. The idea is therefore to take a new step by fighting for both the driver and team titles, summarized Bruno Famin, the director of Peugeot Sport. We will be able to count on two seasoned drivers since, in addition to Timmy Hansen, Sébastien Loeb now has one season of experience in this discipline. That said, we are aware that the level of Rallycross is growing extremely quickly. We are pleased to see that after Ford, Audi and Volkswagen have confirmed their official support for two formidable teams. The level will be extremely high. We remain faithful to our cooperation with Hansen Motorsport within Team Peugeot Hansen. Peugeot Sport is responsible for the technical development of the car and Hansen Motorsport is responsible for its operation. We have strengthened our technical team but we remain very reasonable in our approach and in cost control. Our factory program remains the rally-raid. We are convinced that Rallycross is a discipline of the future but one of the conditions for it to remain so is that the benefits/cost ratio remains very competitive. »

The 2017 World RX season will begin on April 1 and 2 in Barcelona (Spain).